Book Feasts are easy to establish and fun to run. They are built around local “Chapters of Authors.” Each Chapter consists of anywhere between 8 and 15 authors who agree to participate in the Book Feasts and to promote them to local readers.

The Book Feasts themselves are friendly and fun events featuring a group of Chapter authors, and they are built around a theme or genre of writing. A featured author - or Book Chef - will speak about that genre for 10-15 minutes, or a panel of authors may participate in a panel discussion. Then it’s on to the chatter and feasting!

There’s an 8-week lead time to run a Book Feast. It’s easy, fun, and simple. It also shouldn’t take more than 30 to 60 minutes of organising per week. You can find the timeline as a spreadsheet under "Resources" or alternatively you can read it here.

How to Run a Book Feast in 7 Easy Steps:

Step 1: Organise your Chapter of Authors

This should include at least 8 to 10 authors who will ‘feature’ at least once in the year as the main ‘on show’ author, and who will also attend the other Book Feasts. The concept is to have many authors in attendance, not just the ones who are being featured. This creates the vibe of lots of local authors mingling with local book lovers.

Authors need to commit to at least 3 Book Feasts out of the 5 or 6 that you will run in a 12 month period. Meet with them to explain the concept and their commitment, best as a whole group so they can meet each other, too. Explain how this is about authors giving back to their readers, libraries, and book shops in their local community, and also about making authors accessible, sharing their advice and love of books and reading, and just being social with other authors and book lovers. The side benefit of that is book sales and publicity but book sales are not the aim of the event.

Collect the authors’ names, mobile numbers and email and have them join the Book Feasts Facebook page. Don’t use this FB page to organise, but to chat and promote and just hang out with book lovers. Organise via email, as no one can then ‘miss’ a post.

2. Choose the Venue, your Featured Authors and Theme

Venues must be big enough to host the event, ideally seating up to 40 people. The seats can then be put away for mingling afterwards with food and drink, if space is limited. Your local library is the ideal venue for these events.

If you are featuring several authors, you might want to create a book tile. (You can download a template under “Resources” or just create your own using thumbnails of book covers.)

To-dos - 8 weeks before event:

• Confirm location, time and authors

To-dos - 5 weeks before:

• Confirm poster with library
• Confirm feature authors and location
• Confirm which newsletter we'll be in
• Confirm we're in the library calendar of events

3. Get to Know your Library Liaison Person

Talk them through the Book Feast concept; it’s like a book club, without the required reading, and it erases the line between authors and book lovers and readers.

4. Spread the “Word” - Book Feasts are Coming!

Your library liaison can assist with lots of awareness-raising. This includes promoting the event on their website, via their newsletter, via posters and leaflets, a press release to local media etc.

To-dos - 4 weeks before:

• Social media assets to QWC, bookshops, libraries, FOLA, SCBWI & schools & students need school libraries
• Confirm drinks with Friends of Libraries event location
• Confirm moderator
• Create FB event and invite friends and share. All authors in chapter should share/post
• Inform library of all attending authors
• Send out press releases to contacts

To-dos - 3 weeks before:

• Start social media campaign. All authors try to join in.
• Ensure authors have lucky draw prizes (FREE BOOK) and confirm their attendance
• MAILCHIMP newsletter ref date, time, location of BF
• Put up info on local community event boards.

5. Now for the “Feast”!

Your library can assist with facilities for drinks and food. If your library has a Friends group, they, too, can assist. You may want to make the event a “bring your own plate”.

Don't forget to create author labels as well! Again, you can download a template under “Resources.”

Another essential ingredient is the Lucky Door Prize, as it encourages people to provide their names and email addresses (and give permission for photos). Raffle tickets (from the local newsagent) are an easy way to distribute entries, and ask each featured author to donate a book as a prize.

To-dos - 2 weeks before:

• Continue social media
• Confirm PA system and other equipment if needed.
• Remind to bring a plate and drinks to authors
• Gather update on libraries from FOLA
• Make up new/extra name badges
• Make book cover TILE for powerpoint slides

To-dos - 1 week before:

• Print off member sign up sheets
• Buy lucky door tickets
• Write speech about BF. FOLA UPDATE. 'Did you Know' facts
• PowerPoint book tile/fliers for each seat (these are the book tile printed small - 6 per page)
• Author email reminding: bring badge, food, drink, copy of book which they can sell privately

To-dos - On the Day:

• Set up PA system for music and mics and OH if used.
• Feature Author email reminding: lucky door book prize
• Set up tables and entry area for sign in/lucky door
• Set up food and drink
• Take name tags, lucky door tickets, sign up sheets, script for moderator
• Set up music - phone?
• Take VIDEO! And photos
• Thumb Drive with booktiles, laptop and cable
• Pens/red book/Harper book/bookmarks/water for me
• Take nibbles, water, wine, napkins, plastic plates/cups/knives

6. After the Event

It’s all about social media: post away and ensure the authors do too. Use photos that are well-lit and show CROWDS, and where everyone is having fun.

To-dos - The Day After:

• Post photos on social media
• Get video edited and onto social media
• Send video to other outlets to post incl Library.
• MAILCHIMP - thank you and where to buy + links + feedback + library info + join fola

7. Let us know your plans, and we can help!

You can always find us at the Book Feasts Facebook page.